Trump plans to stay lawyered-up after Mueller as Manhattan federal prosecutors burrow into his business
Whenever Special Counsel Robert Mueller wraps up his investigation, President Trump knows that will only "be a new beginning, not a dramatic end, for Trumpworld's eclectic legal hellscape," and so he's asked his outside legal team to stay on indefinitely, The Daily Beast reports. Trump faces multiple House investigations, lawsuits over emoluments in Maryland and Washington, D.C., and other legal problems, but Trump's big worry is federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, or SDNY. It is generally agreed he is right to be concerned.
"The Southern District of New York investigation is monumentally more perilous to the president than Bob Mueller ever was or ever will be," former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally, told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. "They have two tour guides, George, and no restriction on where they could go." Elie Mystal, editor of Above the Law, compared Trump's legal jeopardy to The Revenant on MSNBC's The Beat Monday night. "SDNY is the bear, and the Trump Organization is like Leonardo DiCaprio, and this time we're not sure that the bear's gonna let him go," he told Ari Melber. Former federal prosecutors Joyce Vance added that if Southern District prosecutors "have to play a role in this passion play, I'd set them up to be The Avengers."
Former Trump friend and tenant Donny Deutsch was even more direct on NBC Late Night last week, telling Seth Meyers he thinks the Southern District is "going to what I call RICO him, which is the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, where if you're at the top of an organization that anybody in it is doing illicit things, you go to jail. I think that they will take him apart. I think they will take his buildings away, he'll be nothing left." He said Trump "should be panicked," then repeated it to the camera. Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Brodet (fish stew) recipe
The Week Recommends This hearty dish is best accompanied by a bowl of polenta
By The Week UK Published
-
Phone hacking: victory for Prince Harry?
Talking Point Even those who do not share the royal's views about the press should 'commend' his dedication to pursuing wrongdoing
By The Week UK Published
-
Donald Trump's grab for the Panama Canal
The Explainer The US has a big interest in the canal through which 40% of its container traffic passes
By The Week UK Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published